The Role of Israel

"God's timepiece" is at the center of the world stage in the end times.

The following articles were excerpted from "Are We in the End Times?" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale House Publishers).

What To Do With Palestine?

Through Zechariah the prophet, God predicted that at the time of the end:

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. (Zechariah 12:2-3)

One of the biggest problems for the planners of the coming one-world order is what to do with Palestine. The five million Jews who live there are not about to surrender their sovereignty to the United Nations or the United States or anyone else; the smell of the Holocaust is still too fresh in their memories. The Jews have made their last move. They make that clear to anyone who will listen-and so does the God of prophecy.

The significance of Jerusalem's end-time prominence is not lost on Dr. John Walvoord, dean of all living prophecy experts. He writes, "The prophecies about Jerusalem make it clear that the Holy City will be in the center of world events in the end time... The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs will focus more and more attention on Jerusalem... In all of these situations Jerusalem is the city to watch, as the city of prophetic destiny prepares to act out her final role. The total world situation may be expected more and more to be cast into the mold that prophecy indicates. . . . It seems that the stage and the actors are ready for the final drama, in which Jerusalem will be the key."

This fascination with Israel-at the geographical center of the world and at one point only nine miles wide-is not accidental. It was predicted long ago. Many ancient prophecies are unfolding before our eyes... but they could not be fulfilled until Israel was back in her land, as she is today.

Israel, Regathered

The following is just one example of the many promises regarding the regathering of Israel. God showed the prophet Ezekiel the bones of the Hebrew nation and asked him if they could live. The godly prophet wisely replied, "O Lord God, You know." (Ezekiel 37:3). Then he writes:

So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, `Thus says the Lord God: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."'" So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, `Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!'""Then say to them, `Thus says the Lord God: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God."'" (Ezekiel 37:7-11; 21-23)

ONLY A BREATH AWAYAll that is left for Ezekiel's vision to be fulfilled relates to the statement "but there was no breath in them" (Ezekiel 37:8). That expression is not difficult for Bible students to decipher, since "breath" or "wind" often refers to the Holy Spirit. That would indicate that, one of these days, Israel is going to have a fresh visitation of the Holy Spirit, when a mighty revival sweeps the land. This agrees with many passages that predict a great spiritual awakening when the Jews call upon the Messiah they rejected in A.D. 30 (see Joel 2:18-32; Zechariah 12:10-13:2; Romans 11:26-27; Revelation 7:1-10).It is important to note that this revival is the only part of this prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled. Over five decades have passed since Israel became a nation, and it still rejects Christ as Messiah. That is the reason the prophet challenged them to "hear the word of the Lord!" (Ezekiel 37:4). If the nation were to genuinely "hear" the scriptural testimony to the true identity of the Messiah, it would be forced to recognize Christ as the Lord.